Sealing and dispensing device



Sept. 14, 1965 J. J. MANCUSI, JR

SEALING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1963 R J Rh y E EMWO A/w 6 J H% P E s o J United States Patent 3,206,079 SEALING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Joseph J. Mancusi, .lr., Bristol, Conn., assiguor to Altair Inc., Terryviile, Conn, a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 22, 1963, Bar. No. 303,775 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-213) This invention relates to sealing and dispensing devices and more particularly to sealing and dispensing devices which automatically dispense liquid upon increase in fluid pressures and automatically seal containers against liquid loss when fluid pressures are reduced.

The instant invention is an improvement on the sealing and dispensing device disclosed in my US. Patent No. 3,008,611, issued November 14, 1961. It requires fewer parts to accomplish the functions and advantages inherent in the patented device. On the other hand, the simplified construction facilitates manufacture because of reduced parts handling. Moreover, the reduced handling and smaller parts list lends itself to less expensive construction.

Accordingly, the object of this invention is to simplify the construction and hence render more inexpensive of manufacture the sealing and dispensing device disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,008,611.

The invention achieves simplicity through the use of an apertured flexible disk. The disk is adapted to be disposed across an outlet to seal it off. The disk is biased inward by an edge which engages it about the aperture. This causes the outer edge of the disk to be biased outward. Squeezing a flexible container causes the outer edge of the disk to be lifted to pass fluid; release allows atmospheric pressure to deflect the inner edge of the disk away from its biasing edge to admit air to fill volume depleted by dispensed fluid.

A feature of the invention is that both fluid output and air intake can be accomplished through a single application outlet in a protective cap. The elimination of a second opening obviously improves the sealing circumstance and makes possible positive closure of a container to preclude inadvertent function due to pressure changes resulting from atmospheric or temperature variations. Thus, the application cap might be manufactured with the application outlet molded shut to insure against fluid loss during shipment, the application outlet being cut open prior to use.

On the other hand, it is a feature of the invention that it can be so embodied as to permit container breathing during shipment and storage. The vapor pressure of certain chemicals, such as hypoclorite, varies widely with temperature, and flexible containers tend to be distorted while glass containers may be in danger of rupture. A cap according to the instant invention provides a relieving function in both directions. Of course, the application outlet would not be molded shut for such a use.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description when considered with the accompanying drawing which shows, by way of example, a pre ferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, the figure discloses, in vertical construction, a sealing and dispensing device according to the invention and mounted on a flexible container. A flexible container 10, having a threaded spout 12, advantageously utilizes a sealing and dispensing device according to the invention.

The device includes an interiorly threaded cap 14, a centrally apertured valve disk 16, and a sealing ring or washer 18. The cap, when threaded on tight on the spout 12, compresses the sealing ring 18 against the open end of the spout through a shoulder 20 to effect a fluid seal.

The cap 14 is formed with an interiorly directed frusice turn projection 22. The projection extends below the level of the shoulder 20 and acts to deflect the interior portion of the disk 16 downward. This results in holding the disk in biased engagement with the upper inner edge of the sealing ring 18. A boss 24, formed in the center of the bottom surface of the projection 22, is loosely received in the central aperture of the disk and acts to locate and hold the disk properly with respect to the projection 22 and the sealing ring 18.

The cap 14 incorporates a dispensing cone 26 on its upper surface. A passageway 28 for the fluid contents of container 10 extends from the side surface of the projection 22 up through the cone 26. To provide a positive seal against leakage during shipment or storage and prior to first use, a closure 30 may be molded on the upper end of cone 26. The passageway 28 would terminate in the closure. Before use of the sealing and dispensing device, the closure 30 would be cut or snipped off to expose the passageway 28 and form an application outlet.

The dispensing function is accomplished by inverting and squeezing the flexible bottle 10. This raises the internal pressure which moves the outer edge of the valve disk 16 off of the edge of the sealing ring 18 and forces fluid through the opening thus created. Fluid thus enters the cavity between the disk 16 and the cap 14 and then flows outward through the passageway 23. When the squeeze action on the flexible bottle 10 is relaxed, the bottle tends to return to its normal position, thus lowering the pressure within the bottle below atmospheric pressure. This results in the valve disk 16 reseating itself in sealing relationship upon the sealing ring 18. However, the higher atmospheric pressure will unseat the interior edge of the disk from its engagement with the edge of the-frustum projection 22 to provide a continuous channel from the outside of the cone 26 through the passageway 28' and the cavity between the disk and the cap, to the interior of the bottle 10. Thus, and more readily if the bottle is restored to upright position, air will enter the bottle through the channel to fill the volume depleted by expelled fluid. As soon as the internal pressure approaches the atmospheric pressure, the interior edge of the disk will reseat on the edge of the frustum projection to seal the bottle.

It can be seen that there has been provided a simplified sealing and dispensing device which will automatically dispense fluid when the container is inverted and squeezed, and automatically refill with air the volume vacated by the spent fluid. Only three parts which can be readily molded are needed to carry out a complex operation due to an ingenious arrangement and interrelationship of the parts. Fabrication of the device is readily accomplished with a minimum of assembly operation and parts handling. Moreover, shipment is facilitated. Only one opening needs to be temporarily sealed for leak-proof shipment. On the other hand, highly expansible liquids can be shipped and stored because fluid flow in both directions is accommodated.

It will be understood that there has been disclosed in detail herein only a preferred embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art and various omissions and substitutions and changes in form and detail and operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the sealing ring 18 might be integrally formed as an inwardly projecting lip on either the end of the spout 12 or the cap 14. Furthermore, additional parts might be added to perform other functions such as temporary positive sealing while traveling. It is intended to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sealing and dispensing device having an outlet and inner and outer surfaces for sealing ofl said outlet, an apertured flexible disk adapted to seal off said outlet and biased inward at one of its inner and outer edges to a sealing engagement with the corresponding surface and biased outward at the other of its inner and outer edges to a sealing engagement with the corresponding surface, said edges being displaceable from the corresponding surfaces to pass fluid.

2. In a sealing and dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein the biased outward edge may be unseated to permit forceful dispensing of fluid and the biased inward edge may be unseated to admit air into a container to fill the volume depleted by forcibly expelled fluid.

3. In a sealing and dispensing device according to claim 2 wherein the outer edge is the biased inward one and the aperture in the disk is located generally centrally thereof.

4. In a sealing and dispensing device, means for forming an edge about an outlet, an apertured disk for sealingly engaging said edge, and means having an edge for sealingly engaging said disk about its aperture and for biasing the disk inwardly to the edge about an outlet, said disk being displaceable from each of said edges.

5. In a sealing and dispensing device, an annular ring for seating on an outlet, a flexible disk having a central aperture for seating on said ring, and a cap having means for securing it to an outlet and having a shoulder for sealingly securing it to the ring and the ring to the outlet and having an inwardly directed projection formed with an edge to sealingly engage the disk about the aperture and to deflect the disk inwardly to the outlet and having a fluid passageway.

6. In a sealing and dispensing device according to claim 5, a boss formed on the cap projection for loosely projecting through the disk aperture.

7. A sealing and dispensing device according to claim 5 mounted on the outlet spout of a container.

8. An article comprising a flexible container, having an exteriorly threaded outlet spout, an annular ring having an edge and seated on the end of said spout, a flexible disk having a central aperture and sealingly engaging the edge of the ring, and an interiorly threaded cap secured to -the spout, said cap being formed with a shoulder to sealingly engage the spout, said cap also being formed with an interiorly directed projection having a circular edge for sealingly engaging the disk about the aperture and for biasing the central portion of the disk inwardly of the outlet, said cap additionally being formed with a passageway to connect the cavity alongside the projection and between the disk and the cap to the exterior, said flexible container when squeezed forcing the disk ofi of the ring edge to deliver fluid into the cavity and thence through the passageway to the exterior, said disk when the squeeze is released being forced by atmospheric pressure applied through the passageway away from sealing engagement with the edge of the projection to admit air into the container to fill the volume depleted by dispensed fluid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,622,792 12/52 Ramclow 137--525.5 X 2,761,833 9/56 Ward 222-212 X 3,081,006 3/63 Land 222-212 3,085,591 4/63 Schneider 137-5253 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SEALING AND DISPENSING DEVICE HAVING AN OUTLET AND INNER END AND OUTER SURFACES FOR SEALING OFF SAID OUTLET, AN APERTURED FLEXIBLE DISK ADAPTED TO SEAL OFF SAID OUTLET AND BIASED INWARD AT ONE OF ITS INNER AND OUTER EDGES TO A SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDING 